Cleaner for cotton linters



Aug. 6, 1940.

A. J. v. WARE CLEANER FOR COTTON LINTER'S Filed June 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 6,1940. A. J. v. WARE CLEANER FOR COTTON L ENTERS s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1938 .f//(Tob 4:, 1/00 .1 1144 1455 a,

M. I u u I I 0 I z- 1940. A. J. v. WARE 2.210.016

CLEANER FOR COTTON LINTERS Fall ed June 30, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ink/V 292,

am .I. Kld'mz Patented Aug. 6, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CLEANER FOR COTTON LINT'ERS Arthur J. V. Ware, Memphis, Tenn. Application June 30, 1938, Serial No. 216,672

4 9 Claims. This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning cotton linters by separating out dust and other small particles therefrom, linters being a material which is so light that gravity and centrifugal force have little eflect during the period when it is within the machine, either for eifecting its movement through the machine or its discharge therefrom.

It further relates to apparatus in which a whirling and downwardly moving spiral column of. air isset up to project the heavier particles of dust centrifugally against and through the screen, and to transfer the lighter particles of lint downward and eject them tangentially from the machine. The objects of the invention are: -'-To provide an apparatus for accomplishing the eflicient separation of dust'and other finely divided trash from an inherently lighter material which is to be cleaned and recovered. 2 To provide an apparatus which will establish a. downwardly moving spiral column of air for movement of an extremely light material and its discharge tangentially from the device.

of an extremely light, and comparatively heavier,

finely divided materials is separated and discharged in which rapid rotation and gravity acting on the mixed materials set up a-current of w zcarrying air moving spirally downward for eventual discharge tangentially of. the extremely light material. To provide an apparatus of the character described which is simple in construction and readily dismountable for the removal and replacement'of parts thereof subject to wear.

To provide-a method for separating an extremelylight and relatively heavier, finely divided materials which includes setting up in the combined materials by rotary movement and gravity centrifugal action for removing the heavier materials and concurrently establishing a spirally, downwardly moving revolving column of,

air for accomplishing the discharge of the ex- 51 tremely light material'by air flow.

" The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the method of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the 50, accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation of. the device, a

portion of which is cut away in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1; and,

1 'To provide an apparatus in which a mixture Fig. 3 is an elevation half in section taken on Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

The apparatus comprises a vertically disposed imperforate casing l0, preferably cylindrical, having an imperforate bottom II, the casing preferably extending below such bottom and be ing cut away at intervals to provide legs l2 for the support of. the apparatus, these legs preferably being secured to an angle iron stiffener ring [3, as by rivets l4, or by welding, the ring also serving as a means to increase the base area andpermit ready securing to a suitable foundation.

Adjacent the bottom II the casing is provided with a dust discharge opening I5 having a dust discharge chute I6 leading therefrom, one side ofthis chute preferably forming a tangential continuation ofthe casing Ill. The upper end of the casing terminates in an annular ring I1 formed of angle iron, having its horizontal leg l8 upward and substantially flush with the top of the casing. The casing is closed bya head which comprises an annular disc l9 secured as'by welding 20 to'an annular ring 2!, complementary to the annular ring l'l, this ring being also of angle iron and having its horizontal leg 22 at the bottom; 23 are bolts which secure the two rings together. 24 is-an inlet pipe conforming in size to the opening in ,the annular disc I9, secured to this disc as by an annular weld 25, and extending upward from the disc. 26 is a stiffener ring around the pipe 24.

30 is an annular disc having a central opening in excess of the sizes of the pipe 24 and the opening-in the disc- Hi. This disc has its outer portion disposed between the flanges I1 and 2| and is clamped between the legs I8 and 22 of these flanges by securing bolts 23. 3| is an annular ring of. angle iron having its vertical leg substantially flush with the opening in thedisc. 32 is a cylindrical screen which is secured to the disc 30 and angle iron 3| and extends downward therefrom toward, but not to, the bottom H of the casing. At its bottom end the cylindrical screen 32,contacts the cylindrical side wall 33 of a pan or tray having a bottom 34, both of which preferably are imperforate. The cylindrical screen 32 may extend within the cylindrical wall 33, .but preferably for ease in assembling, extends there-o'utside, and snugly fits the exterior of such wall, but need not be secured thereto.

35 is a stiffener ring surrounding the cylindrical wall 33, and 36 one of a. plurality of guiding fingers which assist in positioning the lower end of the screen 32 when it is being put into place. 37 are bolts passing through the cylindrical wall 33 and extending outward through the casing wall iii which support and steady the pan, these bolts being secured by nuts 38. 39 is a discharge opening in the wall 33 from which opening a lint discharge chute 46 extends, one wall 4| of this chute being tangential to the wall 33. The chute 48 extends through a suitable opening in the casing lb and is preferably secured to the casing as by welds 42.

43 is a beater shaft concentric with the cylindrical screen 32 and having beater arms 44, which extend adjacent the screen. The shaft is journalled at its lower end in a step bearing 45 which is carried by the bottom H of the outer casing and at the top in a bearing 46, this latter bearing being supported by radially extending bolts 4?, one only of which appears in the drawing. These bolts are each disposed in a slot 48 in the vertical leg of the angle 3|, and are clamped in such slots by nuts 49.

The lower end 50 of the shaft is reduced in size and projects below the bearing 45. 5| is a pulley secured on the shaft end 58 and caused to turn therewith as by a key 52. 53 is a collar secured on the shaft 43 above the bearing 46 as by a set screw 54. 55 is one of a pair of arms which extend in diametrically opposite directions from the collar 53 and are turned downward in proximity to the bolts 47 to prevent accumulation of material thereon. 56 is a rod which is threaded from one end past its center and is secured through the shaft 43, forming arms which project in opposite directions from the shaft above, but adjacent to the casing bottom ll, these arms causing discharge of the dust screened out through the flue.

60 is an electric motor carrying a pulley 6| which is connected by a belt 62 with the pulley 5|.

In Fig. 4, IGA, lil-B, IUC, are the casings of three machines connected in series. 65 is a feed chute discharging into the inlet pipe 24A of the first machine. 40-A is the lint flue discharging therefrom, and l6A the dust flue; The dust flue !fiA discharges through a pipe or chute 66A into the inlet pipe 24-B of the second machine. 49B is a lint flue and iii-B the dust flue which latter discharges through the chute 56-43 into the third machine. 40-0 is the lint flue discharging from this machine, and l6C the dust discharge flue. It will be obvious that more or fewer of the machines may be connected in series as occasion demands.

It will be noted that the feed chute 65 discharges into the first machine but is not connected thereto so that an air supply may enter the machine around and independent of the air entering with the material fed in, and it will be noted that the same conditions exist so far as the additional chutes are concerned.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of the device is shown in which the head of the machine is closed except for the inlet pipe, which pipe may lead into the machine from a more or less remote collector of material, not here germane and not here shown. In this modification which also includes modification in detail, applicable to the previously shown formof the machine, I0A is the casing, the upper end of which is outwardly turned to form an annular flange l8A. 23-A are the bolts which secure the head in place. 22A is the head flange which is secured to the casing flange by the bolts 23A. l9A is the annular inwardly extending disc portion of the head, and 24A the upwardly extending inlet pipe, the upper end of which pipe is closed by a plate 10, here shown as integrally secured as by welding. This plate carries the upper bearing 46-A for the shaft 43A. 12 is a feed pipe here shown as leading horizontally into the side of the pipe 24-A, though the point of entrance and direction of entrance is not material. 32A is the screen and 30A the supporting member which may be clamped as before between the flanges i8-A and 22A of the casing and head respectively, this supporting member being here shown as having an integral upwardly turned flange "it instead of the angle flange heretofore shown. 44A is one of the beater blades.

Where this closed head type of machine is used in a battery of machines the pipe, as the pipe GEE-A connecting one of these machines to the next, ordinarily enters a similarly closed head in much the same manner as does the feed pipe 12.

It will be understood that the mesh of the screen 32 is selected to suit the varying grades of material which are to be treated, and, that where a battery of machines is connected up in series, as shown in Fig. 4, that usually the screen of the first machine will be of a relatively coarse mesh and the screen of each succeeding machine of flner mesh.

In operating the machine the shaft 43 is driven at a rapid rate of speed, usually around 1100 R. P. M. The dirty linters are fed into the top of the casing and descend by gravity into the machine. Any lint and dust tending to accumulate on the bolts 41 is brushed ofi by the arms 55 and drops into the machine. As the dust laden lint enters the zone of the beater blades 44, it is inherently heavy and is readily picked up and whirled around the interior of the screen 32 by the blades. The combined action of the weight of the material and the whirling action, due to the motion of the blades, sets up a spirally downward and rotary movement of the material and a similar spirally and downwardly rotating current of air within the screen. The heavier dust and other particles are thrown by centrifugal action against and through the screen and into the exterior casing. As the materials descend within the screen cylinder, more and more of the dust is driven out and the resulting cleaner lint becomes much lighter and less controllable. The spirally downward current of air set up however carries the lint downward and, in connection with the direct blade action, discharges it outward through the lint flue 40, from which it may be led to a suitable receptacle. The dust passing through the meshes of the screen 32 drops downward and is ejected by the rotary motion of the arms 56 through the dust flue l6 from which it may also be collected. Should a battery of the machines be used, the meshes of the screen of the first machine are usually made so coarse that a large amount of the lint is carried through these meshes with the dust and such dust and lint is discharged through the flue 65A into the next machine and from this next machine the dust and lint discharge passes through the chute 66B into the third machine. The lint discharges are individually collected from each of the three machines, and are usually of progressively lower grade.

placement of parts necessary, or it should bedesired to substitute other and different parts, as a coarser or finer screen, such replacement is made comparatively simple by the construction here shown. --As a first step, the bolts 23 are removed and the head, including the plate I9, ring 2| and inlet pipe 24 are lifted off as a unit; the set screw 54 isloosened and the collar 53 and arms 55 are removed. The nuts 49 holding the bolts 41 are loosened and the bearing 48 removed. The screen 32 and its supporting plate 35 and flange 3| is then free and may be lifted out. Should it be desired to remove the shaft 45, the pulley 5| is removed and the shaft turned until the unthreaded end of the rod 46 is alined with the chute IS. The rod-is then unscrewed from the shaft, the opposite threaded portion permitting such action and the shaft is free to be lifted out and overhauled as may be found necessary. l

In replacing the parts they may obviously be replaced in reverse sequence. It is preferable, however, in such replacements that the screen be first put in place. To do this the screen is lowered until, guided by the fingers 36, it rests on top of the cylindricalwall 33. A tool having .a point similarto an ordinary screw driver may then be used, within the accessible center of the screen, to move inwardly-extending parts of the screen outward so that they will line up with the outside of the cylindrical wall 33, until eventually the entire circumference is alined and the screen may slip down over this wall and into place.

1. A cleaner for an inherently light fibrous material as cotton linters, including an imperforate casing, having an imperforate bottom centrally apertured for a shaftand a lateral discharge chute contiguous 'to said bottom, an imperforate head having a centrally disposed inlet opening; means securing said head to said casing, a shaft extending vertically upward through said aperture, substantially to the top of said "casing, said shaft having a plurality of blades extending substantially at right angles therefrom, bearings journalling the upper and lower ends of said shaft, a cylindrical screen open at the top and of greater diameter than said inlet opening, disposed in said casing around said inlet opening and substantially concentric with said shaft, said screen depending from the upper end of said casing and terminating above said casing bottom, and having an imperforate bottom closing its lower end; a tangential discharge chute leading from said screen contiguous" to its said bottom, at least one set of said blades extending from said shaft between the bottoms of said screen and said casing and the remainder thereof being within said.- screen; said chutes leading in the same rotational direction from said screen and casing; and means for driving said shaft at a high rate of speed in said'rotational direction, whereby to cause movement of said material against said screen for cleaning separation thereby, and to set ling the upper and lower ends of said shaft, a-

cylindrical screen open at'the top and of greater diameter than said inlet opening, disposed in said casing around said inlet opening and substantially concentric with said shaft, said screen depending from the upper end of said casing and terminating above said discharge chute and having an imperforate bottom closing its lower end, a tangential discharge chute leading from said screen contiguous to said bottom, at least one such of said blades extending from said shaft between said screen and easing bottoms, and the remainder thereof being within said screen; said chutes leadingin the same rotational direction from said screen and casing; and means fordriving said shaft at a high rate of speed in said rotational direction, whereby to cause movement of said material against said screen for cleaning separation thereby, and to set up cyclonic air flows for the segregated transfer and discharge of said material and the refuse cleaned therefrom, through said tangential chutes.

-3. A cleaner for an inherently light fibrous material as cotton linters, including an imperforate cylindrical casing, having an imperforate bottom centrally apertured for a shaft and a tangential discharge chute contiguous to said bottom, an imperforate head having a centrally disposed inlet opening; means securing said head to said casing, a shaft extending vertically upward through said aperture, and substantially to the top of said casing,said shaft having a plurality of blades extending therefrom, bearings journalling the upper and lower ends of said shaft, a cylindrical screen open at the top and of greater diameter than said inlet opening, disposed in said ing a cylindrical wall forming a continuation of said screen, an imperforate bottom closing its lower end, and a tangential discharge chute leading from said wall contiguous to said bottom,

and means carried by said casing supporting and centering said pan, at least one set of saidblades being between said casing and pan bottoms; said chutes leading in the same rotational direction from said screen and casing; and means for driving said shaft at a high rate of speed in said i rotational direction, whereby to cause movement of said material against said screen for cleaning separation thereby, and to set up cyclonic air flows for the segregated transfer and discharge of said material and the refuse cleaned therefrom, through said tangential chutes.

4. In a cleaner for cotton linters, which includes a cylindrical casing, outwardly flanged at its upper end a cylindrical screen within said casing concentric therewith and annularly spaced therefrom, and a shaft concentric with said casing and said screen; an inverted cup shaped head having an encircling flange, supported by said casing flange, disposed thereabove, bolts removably securing said flanges together, said head having a concentric inlet opening therethrough, a member disposed between said flanges and removably secured by said bolts, said member having a central opening conforming to the exterior of said screen and having an upwardly turned flange rods secured to said bearing and extending outwardly each into a respective one of said slots, and pairs of nuts on said rods disposed on opposite sides of said flange to removably secure said rods and said bearing.

5. In a cleaner for cotton linters, which includes a cylindrical casing, a cylindrical screen within said casing concentric therewith and an nularly spaced therefrom, and a shaft concentric with said casing and said screen; an inverted cup shaped head supported by said casing, and means removably securing said casing and a head together, said head having a concentric inlet opening therethrough, a member disposed between said casing and head and removably secured by said securing means, said member having a central opening conforming to the exterior of said screen and having an upwardly turned flange portion substantially contacting said head, said screen being secured to and depending from said member.

6. A cleaner for an inherently light fibrous material as cotton linters, including an imperfora-te, vertical, cylindrical casing having a bottom centrally apertured for a shaft and a tangential discharge chute contiguous to said bottom, a cylindrical screen disposed and rigidly supported within said casing, and concentric therewith, said screen having an open top, a bottom centrally apertured for a shaft, and a tangentially disposed discharge chute adjacent said bottom, said screen bottom and chute being spaced above said casing bottom, and said screen chute extending through a side wall of said casing; a suitably journalled shaft extending through said apertures and concentric with said screen, said shaft having a plurality of blades extending therefrom, one set of said blades being disposed in the space between said casing and screen bottoms; said chutes leading in the same rotational direction from said screen and casing; and means for driving said shaft at a high rate of speed in said rotational direction, whereby to cause movement of said material against said screen for cleaning separation thereby, and to set up cyclonic air flows for the segregated transfer and discharge of said material and the refuse cleaned therefrom, through said tangential chutes.

7. A cleaner for cotton linters, including an imperforate casing, having a bottom centrally apertured for a shaft, and a lateral discharge chute contiguous to said bottom, a head having a centrally disposed inlet opening; means securing said head to said casing, a shaft extending vertically upward through said aperture, substantially to the top .of said casing, said shaft having a plurality of blades extending substantially at right angles therefrom, bearings journalling the upper and lower ends of said shaft, a cylindrical screen open at the top, disposed in said casing substantially concentric with said shaft, said screen depending from the upper end of said casing and having a bottom, the lower end of said screen, and said screen bottom, being spaced away from said casing bottom a major portion of the height of said casing discharge chute; and a tangential discharge chute leading from said screen contiguous to its said bottom, said chutes leading inthe same rotational direction from said screen and casing, and means for driving said shaft in said rotational direction, whereby to set up cyclonic air movement within said screen and induce air movement therearound, to set up air discharge flows for the transfer and discharges of said lint and the material cleaned therefrom.

8. A cleaner for an inherently light fibrous material as cotton linters, including an imperforate cylindrical casing, having a bottom, a tangential y.

discharge chute contiguous to said bottom, and a head having a centrally disposed inlet opening; a shaft extending vertically substantially the entire length of said casing and beyond one end thereof, said shaft having a plurality of blades extending therefrom, bearings journalling said shaft, a cylindrical screen open at the top, disposed in said casing substantially concentric with said shaft and said opening, said screen depending from the upper end of said casing, having a bottom closing its lower end, and a tangential discharge chute leading from said screen contiguous to said bottom, the lower end of said screen and its said bottom being substantially spaced from said casing bottom to form an intermediate chamber having a major portion of the depth of said casing chute; said chutes leading in the same rotational direction from said screen and casing; and means for driving said shaft at a high rate of speed in said rotational direction. 2

whereby to set up rotational air movement Within said screen and induce air movement therearound and to set up air discharges inducing downwardly spiralling air flow for the segregated transfers and discharges of said lint and the material cleaned therefrom.

9. A cleaner for an inherently light fibrous material as cotton linters, including an imperforate, vertical casing having a bottom and a tangential discharge chute contiguous to said bottom, a

cylindrical screen disposed and rigidly supported Within said casing, said screen having a top feed opening,, a bottom centrally apertured for }a shaft, and a tangentially disposed discharge chute adjacent said bottom, said screen bottom and chute being spaced above said casing bottom, and said screen chute extending through a side wall of said casing; a suitably journalled shaft extending substantially from top to bottom of said casing and beyond one end thereof, said shaft be-' 

